Gas-generator



T. R. WOLLASTON.

GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED- JAN. 19, 1918.

Patented Ja11.13,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

T. R. WOLLASTON.

GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19. 1918.

1,327,893. Patel lted Jan. 13,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

THOMAS ROLAND'WOLLASTON, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

GAS-GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters rum. t t Jan, 13, 1 20,

..application filed January 19, 1918. Serial No. 212,649.

To all cphom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ROLAND IVOLLASTON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 26 Corporation street,

Manchester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in and connected with apparatus for generating as from coal or other carbonaceous materia tially to the class of apparatus the gas from which is subsequently dealt with for the extraction of by-products, as for example tar, spirit, oils, and ammonia.

According to my invention, I employ a gas producer of ordinary type, but prefer- I I ably of the types described in the specification of my prior British Patent No. 12400 of 1914, and in the specification of my prior British Patent No. 111964 of 1917, but which has mounted upon its crown one or more tubes or retorts, vertical or otherwise, of considerable height, and whichmay be slightly conical or tapered for the purposes hereinafter to be described. Near the top of these retorts outlet branch pipes are provided to conduct the gas to a suitable collecting main, and each retort is fitted at the top with a sealing charging hopper of ordinary type. But with special reference to my present invention, each retort is fitted with controlling means within the same, which not only determines the speed at which the fuel therein may gravitate or be impelled toward the producer, and keeps the body of the fuel sufficiently open or provides interstices therein to allow the out oing gas from the producer to find thoroug fare and intimate contact therewith, but may also regulate, according to areas of passages at cross sections for the gas, the velocity which such gas and condensable distillate-s therein may attain.

To augment the effect named, an exhauster or fan device may be provided at the gas outlet branches, or on the collecting main, or so arranged that the retorts before named may work under vacuum.

It is common knowledge that man qualities of coal are unsuitable for or di ult to gasify in producers, but, on the other hand, cokes or semi-cokes derived from these are good producer fuels, and in the apparatus above named fuel is coked or semi-coked, before and when deposited upon the fuel and particularly though not essen bed in the producer, and without loss of sensible heat. By regulating the areas of passages for the gas through the fuel in the retorts, however, the condensable distillates liberated in the lower and hotter zones of the retorts and condensed in the higher and cooler zones, are kept entrained in the gas current, by reason of the regulation or increase of velocity of the gas as it passes up the retorts, and in accordance with my said invention. 4

With reference to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the upper part of a producer above which is mounted a pair of retorts and provided with controlling means or mechanism according to certain forms of my invention. Plan views of detached details are also indicated and situated adjacent to .the parts they refer to. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing a retort provided with a modifiedform of controlling mechanism referred to.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a star-like wheel in Fig. 1, and Fig.4 is a like view of a grid member in said Fig. 1, between the bars of which member the arms of the starlike wheel are capable of passing.

a. is the upper part of the producer, in Fig. 1, and b, b, are retorts mounted thereon; fuel hoppers are shown at 6 and provided with controlling valves, such being of any ordinary character. An outlet for the gas is shown at 0. Within each retort is provided controlling means for the purposes stated. In the right hand retort of Fig. 1 these means consist of star-like wheels d capable of rotating upon their axes by being mounted on shafts e which are revoluble' independently of each other, or not, such as being provided with external worm wheels operated by worms in connection with convenient sources of power. The revoluble shafts e are supported in hearings in the wall of the retort. The wheels at are so situated relatively to gratings k, that the ends of the arms forming them pass some little distance between the members of such gratings. It will be seen that according to the relative rates, at which these wheels (1 are revolved, and their relative spacing so will the material or fuel in the retorts be come more or less open for the passage of the gas therethrough from the producer, and thus the-velocity of said'gas may be maintained or increased for the purpose stated. The openings between gratings also may be varied to this end. In this way the device operates as a combined distributer and variable-interstice producing means.

Another kind of controlling device for the same purpose, is ShOWILWiiZhlIl the left hand retort in Fig. 1, in the form of a Worm or helical member longitudinally situated, and having vanes which are perforated for controlling the velocity of the gases, either wholly or to a large extent throughout the length of said helix. A few of these perforations are indicated in the drawings.

The helix is capable of rotation by being mounted upon a. vertical shaft Z operated through a wheel i and worm is in gear therewith, which worm may be operated by being in connection with a suitable source of power.

In Fig. :2, the controll ng means consist of a series of perforated cones m mounted upon a vertical shaft 0, the latter assumed to be capable of a regular or sudden down-and up motion such as by being in connection with an eccentric on a shaft operated by power. The cones m pass within fixed inverted cones n, also perforated, but which are attached to the wall of the retort. The vertical shafts for the controlling means illustrated are stepped or carried within' armed brackets, such as Z in Fig. 1, and r in Fig. 2, there being spaces, not shown, between the arms of said brackets, which arms as illustrated are in section.

The conical form of the retorts shown may not only allow freedom for falling of the fuel at the lower end, but may also operate for the purpose of regulating velocity of the gas passing through the retorts, to some extent.

The apertures in the vanes of the helix 9' in Fig. 1, and those in the cones m and 'n. in Fig. 2, may be varied-in size or quantity at different levels for this last named. purpose. Such variable perforations have been shown in preference to varying the pitch of the helix, or providing a ser1es of broken pitches, for the same ob ect. I

In operation, fuel is supplied to the retorts from the hoppers, such as 72 which in passing down said retorts is distributed by the controlling means within them, thus keeping the fuel in a more or less open condition. The gas from the producer having only this means of escape, makes its way through the fuel in said retorts, and-distils the same, so that the material reaches the producer in a coked or semi-coked con: dition. The average temperature of thle gas on entering the lower end of a retort may, as an example,.be said to be as much as 500 degrees centigrade, but may be reduced to 200 degrees at the upper end of said retort. This reduction of temperature may result in condensed distillates tending to flow back into the producer, in which case the controlling means I employ within the retorts tend to prevent this, by controlling the velocity of the gas containing said distillates, or tending to cause them to be carried along with such gas to be'subsequently collected.

It is to be observedthat difi'erent kinds of controlling means,-such as illustrated, may be necessary or desirable for different kinds of coal dealt with.

By the means described it will be seen that the interstices produced by the mechanism referred to may be of a predetermined character, since the star wheels d in Fig. 1 may be rotated at different speeds for this helix in the same figure may be varied in size or quantity to this end, and the perforations in the cones m of Fig. 2 may similarly purpose, the apertures in the vanes of the with said producer, fuel supplymeans for THOMAS ROLAND WOLLASTON. 

